Wafe Makes It To 100!
by Bob Hanscom
Here's Wafe...Green shirt in the front row of the stands applauding his "girls" in 2008
April 11, 2012 - Though not a squash-player himself, for nearly 60 years Wafe Risner had been making his four-day-a-week trek to the Los Angeles Athletic Club from his home in Pasadena, California.
Every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday the 90-plus year-old Pasadena retired aircraft industry executive hit the sauna, the handball courts, did laps in the pool and on the indoor track. He ended his day with a beer (like most squash-players) that he kept in the refrigerator in the private locker room of the club.
Wafe was born on April 17th, 1912, the same year The Los Angeles Athletic Club was built in it's current location in downtown Los Angeles. Up until about three years ago, Wafe continued with his routine, when his children felt that it was time to have him and his wife move up to Seattle, Washington with them, so they could be sure they were well taken care of.
Regarding squash, Wafe would always ask me and want to be notified when "the girls" were coming to play a professional squash tournament. Of course, I would always make sure we had a reserved seat for him in the front row for every WISPA/WSA event we were hosting.
The last WISPA/WSA hosted by The Club was the 2008 EBG LA Open, which Samantha Teran of Mexico won - and by the way, when I announced my retirement as the club's squash professional, the position I held for 15 years since March of 1993.
And who would you guess was in the front row, watching every point, every game, every match of the women's pro event? You guessed it - it was our good friend of women's squash at The Club, the inimitable Wafe Risner!
The last time I saw and talked with Wafe was at a professional handball tournament the club was hosting a couple of weeks ago. Although unable to "run" around, he was his old self, watching the professional handball players - with his hawk-like blue eyes - commenting on the skills and strategy of these fine athletes.
Wafe turns 100 years old on Thursday, April 17th...still going strong! And of course, he posed his normal question to me, "When are "the girls" coming to play a professional tournament again?" I couldn't give him a difinitive answer, but you can be sure that when I have one, I'll let him know! Happy Birthday Wafe...and many more!
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